Is there really anything more comforting than pasta? What about pasta and bacon? Okay, what about pasta, bacon and brie cheese? Right? It’s basically a match made in heaven and we all need to grab a bowl of this immediately.
I made this 2 weeks ago on a whim because I had some leftover brie from a dinner party and decided throwing it into some freshly cooked spaghetti was the sensible thing to do. I was a little worried because I didn’t know what the brie would do, but the result was mind blowing. Melted brie + spaghetti. Be still my heat. I was in love. I tweeted about it and basically 100 million people wanted to know the recipe (okay so maybe it was more like 10-12 people) so I decided it was only fair to share it with the world. I’m nice like that. I just want everyone to have the best possible dinner out there. Especially after a tough day at work.
Fast forward a few days later and I decided to do it again. For recipe testing purposes. Not because I wanted to eat another wheel of brie and then throw the leftovers into the pasta. I swear that wasn’t it. I am not a compulsive cheese eater and I don’t normally eat entire wedges of brie by myself. I pinkie promise 
So the second time I decided to get extra snazzy. Because that’s what I do. I added some bacon and basil and reserved a scoop of the pasta water to help the brie melt down even faster. Brilliant. I’m totes obsessed.
So I’m for sure adding this quick and easy dish into the regular rounds of dinner. It goes exceptionally well with a little bubbly and some trashy television. (something I consider myself to be very good at) Plus my husband loved it. And he isn’t into pasta really. So it’s a winner all around.
Ingredients
- 10 oz pasta
- 1/2 cup pasta water - reserved
- 4 pieces think sliced bacon
- 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 lb brie, cut into cubes
- 10 basil leaves, cut into a chiffonade
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and the cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Place the bacon in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon on both sides until brown and crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet and set it to cool on a paper towel lined plate. Once the bacon is cool, break it into bite sized pieces.
- Add the thinly sliced onion into the cast iron skillet with the bacon grease and saute over medium high heat until the onions are caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and toss for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the cubed brie into the cast iron skillet along with the reserved pasta water. Stir constantly until the cheese is melted and then add the cooked pasta to the mixture and toss to combine.
- Add the basil and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately.
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How did I not ever think to do this before…
amazing!
This sounds so good! Can’t wait to try it. It sounds like a dish I had in Siena, Italy and never forgot!
WOW! All that amazing melted brie paired with bacon is almost (ALMOST) too much to handle! I love this, Gaby!
lekker lekker lekker!!!. have you tried gorgonzola with bacon and basil
? or just gorgonazola LOL
I’ve made it twice and made it exactly like you did the first time. For the second time I adjusted as follows: cooked 6 slices of bacon, doubled the garlic, and added a bit more basil.
Thanks for the recipe and one of my dear friends for introducing your awesome blog to me! Keep the great food coming, my hubby appreciates great dinners as well and so do our friends.
This was a winning dinner!! My dad and I made this together and I am thinking we had three helpings each. The brie was so nice and creamy, with the salty bacon… ooooh I am dreaming about it all over again. Along with the nummy bacon, we added shredded pieces of roasted duck my dad made the night before, amazing addition! Winner winner duck bacon dinner!!
duck and bacon = GENIUS!!! I wish I was there for dinner
Made this the other night for my meat and potatoes husband and he really liked it. Said it could go in the make again pile. That’s the highest compliment you can get.
What is the serving for this recipe?
serves 3-4!
This is a dumb question but must you remove the rind of the brie when melting the cheese to make the sauce? I did not and the sauce turned out disastrous, with small clumps of cheese and no mushy, creamy sauce.
Hi Sally! I’m so sorry the recipe didn’t work for you. I actually did not take the rind off because it’s completely edible. Did you add enough liquid to smooth it out? Let me know and I’m happy to try and get to the bottom of it with you
Hi Gabby, thanks for the reply! I did use the required amount of pasta water but a little less than half a pound of brie. I added both the cheese and water simultaneously so I don’t really know where I went wrong!
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